No role in NRO promulgation, says Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that he had no role in the promulgation of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and he was in jail when it was promulgated.

The former president requested the apex court to dismiss a petition which seeks recovery of the losses Pakistan incurred after the promulgation of NRO in 2007, terming it ‘politically motivated’.

The petitioner, Feroz Shah Gilani, had filed a petition, praying the Supreme Court for issuing orders to recover huge amounts of public money misappropriated and wasted by the respondents, including former president Pervez Musharraf, former attorney general Malik Qayyum and Zardari through unlawful means “already on record in different judgments of the Supreme Court and high court”.

In his reply, Zardari submitted that the instant petition was frivolous and classic example of a politically-motivated petition in order to malign him so that maximum political damage is caused to the PPPP. Hence, he prayed the apex court to dismiss it forthwith.

He contended that the instant petition had been filed without substance or proper supporting documents which was testament to its frivolous nature thus the same was liable to be dismissed.

The former president claimed to have suffered “political victimisation and mudslinging throughout the course of the history”.The reply further contended that he was made target of political vendetta and vengeance and served at least 11 years in jail and had “faith in the independence of judiciary and justice system of Pakistan”.

“That in or about the year 2007, it was realized by certain political elements that politically-motivated cases existed against politicians and it was in no one’s benefit to continue with the their prosecution,” Zardari submitted.

He added that thereafter, the NRO was promulgated which allowed the withdrawal of cases initiated and instigated on political grounds.

He recalled that after the Supreme Court set aside the NRO, cases were reopened and proceeded against him and resulted in acquittal of the answering respondent in all the cases which were politically motivated and based on fake and concocted facts.

The former president further submitted that eight reopened cases were prosecuted by the NAB authorities, which had been concluded on merit and he was acquitted in all pending cases.

“Similarly with regard to cases pending before the Swiss Courts, it is to inform that the Attorney General of Geneva had actually finished the case on merits as well,” Zardari contended and prayed that the instant petition be dismissed for being frivolous and classic example of being politically motivated.